Keyboard holder

ABSTRACT

A keyboard holder to hold a computer keyboard on a computer, is described.

FIELD

[0001] This embodiment relates to a device that may be used in a computer hardware testing process, and more particularly, to a keyboard holder that may conveniently and securely hold a keyboard on a computer frame during a session of testing the components inside the computer.

BACKGROUND

[0002] The testing of a computer for the performance of its internal components is usually carried out in a limited space, e.g., on a working table. The cover of the computer is removed so that the testing personnel can gain access to the components inside the computer. With the very limited space, it is often difficult to place the keyboard on the table. As a result, the keyboard is often bound to the computer by rubber bands or ropes. Such a system may be unsafe and inconvenient.

[0003] Therefore, there is a need for a device that can hold a keyboard on the computer in a secure way and that is also convenient to use. Furthermore such device should be suitable for various keyboards of different sizes.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0004] The above features and advantages will be clearer upon reading the following detailed description of the embodiments of the keyboard holder of the invention, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0005]FIG. 1 is an illustrative perspective view of a keyboard holder in accordance with one embodiment of the invention;

[0006]FIG. 2 is a side view of FIG. 1 in accordance with one embodiment of the invention;

[0007]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a rack in accordance with one embodiment of the invention;

[0008]FIGS. 4a and 4 b are perspective views of the L-shaped clamping plate that may work cooperatively with a rack in accordance with one embodiment of the invention;

[0009]FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a rack in accordance with another embodiment of the invention;

[0010]FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a clamping plate in accordance with one embodiment of the invention;

[0011]FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a rack and a clamping plate together to hold a keyboard in position in accordance with one embodiment of the invention;

[0012]FIG. 8 is a side view of a rack in accordance with yet another embodiment of the invention;

[0013]FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a rack in accordance with still another embodiment of the invention;

[0014]FIG. 10 if a side view of a rack in accordance with one more embodiment of the invention;

[0015]FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a rack in accordance with still one more embodiment of the invention;

[0016]FIG. 12 is a partial top plan view of a rack in accordance with yet one more embodiment of the invention;

[0017]FIG. 13 is a side view of a rack in accordance with the embodiment of FIG. 12;

[0018]FIG. 14 is a side view of a slideable member corresponding to FIGS. 12 & 13; and

[0019]FIG. 15 is a view of plate having a hole for receipt of the slideable member of FIG. 14.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020] As seen in FIGS. 1-3, the keyboard holder of one embodiment of the invention may comprise a rack 3 that is capable of being secured on a computer 1 for holding a keyboard 2 thereon. Rack 3 may have a combination front plate 33 and bottom trough plate 34, that together form an L-shaped supporting member for the keyboard 2. In particular, an edge 2 a of keyboard 2, is received upon and held on plate 34. Further, the device may comprise a clamping plate 4 (best seen in FIGS. 4a and 4 b), to allow for removable securing of keyboard 2 onto the L-shaped support member. Thus, the keyboard may be held on the front plate and removed therefrom, and the holder (comprising plates 33, 34 and 4), may be used to hold various keyboards of different dimensions.

[0021] In order to facilitate the testing of computer 1, it is noted that one of the removable sides of computer 1, will normally be removed during testing, to allow access to the internal components of computer 1. The embodiments of the subject invention are directed to accommodating holding of keyboard 2 above the open side of computer 1, to help facilitate this testing procedure.

[0022] Continuing with FIG. 1, due to the possibly limited space, e.g., on a work table (not shown), keyboard 2 may be placed at a top position on the side of computer 1, so that the testing personnel may get access to the internal components of computer 1 from the lower part of the computer (though the open side) while at the same time using keyboard 2 during a testing or repair session.

[0023] The detailed structure of the rack 3 of FIG. 2 is shown in FIG. 3, while that of the clamping plate 4 is shown in FIGS. 4a and 4 b. Similar reference numbers are used throughout the description for designating similar elements.

[0024] As shown in FIG. 3, rack 3 may comprise three parts that form a large reverse L-shaped one-piece structure that may follow the contour of computer 1—a back plate 31, a top plate 32 and a front plate 33 (discussed above). As shown in FIG. 4, when rack 3 is secured on computer 1, back plate 31 may abut the back side of computer 1, top plate 32 may rest on the top of computer 1, and front plate 33 may abut the open front side of computer 1. It is appreciated that in order for the keyboard holder assembly of the invention to attach to computer 1, a depth D of top plate 32 (see FIG. 1) shall preferably be substantially the same as a width W of computer 1 (see FIG. 1) so that rack 3 may be held steadily on computer 1 by the combination of plates 31, 32 and 33.

[0025] As earlier discussed, the foot part of the L-shaped supporting member; i.e., bottom trough plate 34, has a lip plate 35 extending therefrom (see FIG. 3), to prevent outward movement of edge 2 a of keyboard 2.

[0026] Referring again to FIGS. 1 and 2, clamping plate 4 is employed to work cooperatively with front plate 33 and trough plate 34, for the purpose of securing keyboard 2 in position. For example as shown in FIG. 4a, a top trough plate 42 may be formed on clamping plate 4 for accommodating a top edge 2 b (see FIG. 1) of keyboard 2. When top edge 2 b of keyboard 2 is confined in top trough plate 42, outward movement of the edge maybe prevented by a lip plate 43 of clamping plate 4.

[0027] As shown in FIGS. 3, 4a and 4 b, the flat portion 41 of clamping plate 4 may be connected to the front upper surface of front plate 33 by a slot-stud connection. For example, there may be two slots 36 formed on front plate 33, extending along a height H of front plate 33, as shown in FIG. 3. On a back surface 41 b of flat portion 41 of clamping plate 4, there may be two corresponding protruding studs 44 to engage slots 36. The position of studs 44 in slots 36 may be adjustable so as to allow for clamping of top trough plate 42 and bottom trough plate 34 around keyboard 2, as is best shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. After studs 44 are adjusted to their proper position around keyboard 2, studs 44 may be fixed, e.g., by nuts or some other known securing element (not shown), in slots 36.

[0028] Lip plate 43 may further be provided with two threaded holes 45 (see FIG. 4a), for accepting therethrough threaded clamp nuts 46. Threaded clamp nuts 46 are used to restrain a back surface of keyboard 2 against front surface 41 a of flat portion 41. Clamp nuts 46 help prevent keyboard 2 from moving when a thickness T of keyboard 2 (see FIG. 1), is less than a width C of top trough plate 42 (see FIG. 4b). In this way, keyboard 2 is not loosely restrained against trough plate 43, and the testing personnel may feel more comfortable while striking on the keys of keyboard 2, or carrying keyboard 2 attached to rack 3, for use with another computer. Similarly, lip plate 35 may also be provided with threaded holes (not shown) for accepting threaded clamp nuts (not shown) to tightly fix edge 2 a of keyboard 2 in a similar manner to that of edge 2 b, so that keyboard 2 is prevented from moving while secured to the keyboard holder of the subject invention.

[0029] FIGS. 5-7 show an alternative slot-stud connection between front plate 33 and clamping plate 4. Different from the connection in FIGS. 3, 4a and 4 b, the slots 47 in this alternative embodiment are formed on flat portion 41 of the clamping plate 4, while studs 37 are protruding from front plate 33. As is clearly shown in FIG. 7, slots 47 on clamping plate 4 are open at the lower end of flat portion 41, which are capable of sliding over stems 37 a of studs 37. Caps 37 b of studs 37 have larger cross-sectional diameters than the cross-sectional diameter of stems 37 a, thus restraining clamping plate 4 in a position for holding edge 2 b of keyboard 2, as shown in FIG. 7. In this embodiment, slots 47 of clamping plate 4 may slide over stems 37 a of studs 37, until top trough plate 42 rests on edge 2 b of keyboard 2.

[0030] In the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1-7, the keyboard holder of the present invention is capable of holding different keyboards of various depths D and thicknesses T (see FIG. 1), by adjusting the position of clamping plate 4 on front plate 33 of rack 3, through use of slots 36 or 47, and through use of clamping nuts 46 through lip plate 43 and/or similar clamping nuts through lip plate 35. Finally regarding the embodiment of FIGS. 5-7, it is also anticipated that this embodiment could use clamping nuts 46 through lip plate 43 (as earlier discussed and described for the embodiment of FIGS. 1-4).

[0031]FIGS. 8 and 9 show a third embodiment of rack 3. This rack 3, however, is adjustable in depth D to match varying widths W of different computers 1. In this embodiment, top plate 32 is a two-piece structure comprising plates 32 a and 32 b.

[0032] Plate 32 a has extending therefrom a back plate 31 (which may be the same as that in the previous embodiments). Plate 32 b has extending therefrom a front plate 33, a trough plate 34 and a lip plate 35, that may be all similar to the previous embodiments.

[0033] Plates 32 a and 32 b are capable of being connected together by an adjustable slot-stud structure to form an integrated top plate that is essentially the same as that of top plate 32 shown in the previous embodiments. In particular, there are provided studs 56 protruding from plate 32 a and slots 57 on plate 32 b, for receipt therein of studs 56. By overlapping plate 32 b over plate 32 a (as shown in FIG. 9), with studs 56 slidably inserted through slots 57, a depth D of the integrated top plate is adjustable to meet the width W requirements of computer 1. After studs 56 are adjusted to proper position according to width W of computer 1, they may be tightly fixed in slots 57 by means of, e.g., the nuts 38, or other known securing elements.

[0034] As an alternative to that shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, slots 57 may be formed on plate 32 a, while studs 56 are provided on plate 32 b, for example. Otherwise, this alternate construction would work in substantially the same way.

[0035]FIGS. 10 and 11 show a fourth embodiment of the keyboard holder of the present invention, which only comprises a rack 3 without the clamping plates used in the previous embodiments. In this embodiment, the front plate 33 of rack 3 has a tapering thickness that decreases from the lower end to the top end, thus forming a sloping front surface that assumes some angle ∝ to a vertical plane X. Thus, keyboard 2 may be placed on the sloping surface of front plate 33 with its bottom edge (2 a) resting on the trough plate 34, as shown in FIG. 10. Because of the sloping surface, there is no need for a clamping plate 4 as used in the previous embodiments, and it is also very convenient to place keyboard 2 on front plate 33 or remove it therefrom. Furthermore, it is more comfortable for the testing personnel to use the keyboard in this slightly sloping orientation.

[0036] Rack 3 of FIGS. 10 and 11, may be, for example, molded from a plastic or rubber material so as to easily form the tapering front of front plate 33.

[0037] Turning now to FIGS. 12-15, yet another alternate embodiment of the invention is shown. In this embodiment, we again have a computer 1, a rack 3 and a keyboard 2. Rack 3 comprises a top plate 32, having plates 32 a and 32 b, a front plate 33, a trough plate 34, a lip plate 35 and a clamping plate 4.

[0038] The primary difference between this and the other embodiments, concerns the selectively slideable nature of plates 32 a and/or 32 b around member 32 c, and the selectively slideable nature of plate 4 around member 4 a.

[0039] Starting first with a discussion of plate 32, one way of constructing the assembly may be for member 32 c to be fixedly protruding from plate 32 a, with a receiving hole 32 e therefore in edge 32 d of plate 32 b. In the alternative, member 32 c may protrude from plate 32 b, with a receiving hole 32 e, in an edge of 32 a. In either construction, some manner known in the art to secure member 32 c within hole 32 e, so as that the depth D separating plates 31 and 33 substantially correspond to the width W of computer 1, will be employed.

[0040] One such securing construction could be that shown in FIGS. 15 and 15. Here, a notched structure for one side of member 32 c is used in cooperation with a depressible element 32 f, seen in FIG. 15. In particular, as member 32 c slides into hole 32 e (in the direction “y”), depressible element 32 f is depressed. Once a notch 32 g is reached, element 32 f un-depresses and extends into notch 32 g. In this position, member 32 c cannot be removed from hole 32 e, due to element 32 f baring against side 32 h of notch 32 g. A standard release mechanism is employed for disengagement. Other known methods and constructions may be employed in place of the elements shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, so long as the selectively slideable nature of plates 32 a and 32 b locking toward each other is maintained.

[0041] Regarding the slideable nature of changing plate 4, it is to be understood that top, substantially horizontal plate 4 b, has a hole extending there through. A substantially vertically protruding rod 4 a is received through the hold in plate 4 b, allowing plate 4 b to be slideable around rod 4 a. In this way, plate 4 c of clamping plate 4, is selectively slideable over a portion of keyboard 2, so as to help secure keyboard 2 in place on rack 3.

[0042] The above has described in detail several preferred embodiments of the keyboard holder of the invention. It shall, however, be appreciated that numerous modifications and variations may be made to the embodiments shown herein and still fall within the scope of the invention. For example, rack 3 in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 10 and 11 may also incorporate the two-piece structure in FIGS. 8 and 9 so as be useful for computers of varying sizes. A clamping plate 4 (not shown) may also be employed to further secure keyboard 2 when placed on the sloping surface of rack 3 of FIGS. 10 and 11. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An apparatus, comprising: a rack, having: a back plate to abut a first side of a computer; a front plate to abut a second, opposite side of said computer; and a top plate bridging between said back plate and said front plate, to rest on a top side of said computer, said top side of said computer located between said first and second sides of said computer; wherein said front plate of said rack has an extending trough plate onto which an edge of a keyboard for operating said computer may rest.
 2. Apparatus of claim 1, wherein said back plate and said front plate are substantially parallel to each other while said top plate is substantially perpendicular to both said front plate and said back plate.
 3. Apparatus of claim 2, wherein said top plate has a depth that is substantially equal to a width of said computer as said width is defined by the distance between said first and second sides of said computer.
 4. Apparatus of claim 1, wherein said front plate has a back surface to abut said second side of said computer and a front sloping surface having a thickness tapering from said trough plate to said top plate.
 5. Apparatus of claim 1, wherein said rack comprises a plastic material.
 6. Apparatus of claim 1, wherein said rack comprises a rubber material.
 7. Apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a clamping plate having a top trough plate for restraining another, opposite edge of said keyboard.
 8. Apparatus of claim 7, wherein at least one hole is formed on a short side of said top trough plate for accepting a bolt for tightly securing said another edge of said keyboard.
 9. Apparatus of claim 7, wherein said clamping plate connects with said front plate of said rack at a position such that said keyboard is clamped between said top trough plate and said trough plate.
 10. Apparatus of claim 9, further comprising an adjustment mechanism to adjust said position to hold keyboards of varying sizes.
 11. Apparatus of claim 10, wherein said adjustment mechanism comprises at least one adjustment slot extending along said front plate of said rack and at least one adjustment stud on said clamping plate that is selectively, adjustably restrained in a position in said adjustment slot.
 12. Apparatus of claim 11, wherein said at least one adjustment slot comprises two adjustment slots that are substantially parallel to each other.
 13. Apparatus of claim 11, wherein said at least one adjustment stud comprises a bolt and a nut.
 14. Apparatus of claim 10, wherein said adjustment mechanism comprises at least one adjustment slot extending along said clamping plate and at least one adjustment stud on said front plate of said rack that is selectively, adjustably restrained in a position in said adjustment slot.
 15. Apparatus of claim 14, wherein said at least one adjustment slot is open at a lower end of said clamping plate.
 16. Apparatus of claim 15, wherein said at least one adjustment slot comprises two adjustment slots that are substantially parallel to each other and said at least one adjustment stud comprises two adjustment studs.
 17. Apparatus of claim 16, wherein said adjustment studs comprise a stem with a cap having radial size larger than a width of said slots.
 18. An apparatus, comprising: a first plate comprising: a back plate to abut a first side of a computer; and a first top plate extending partially along a width of a top side of said computer; and a second plate, comprising: a front plate to abut a second side of said computer, said second side being opposite to said first side and separated from said first side by a depth equal in size to said width of said top side, said front plate having a trough plate extending therefrom to support an edge of said keyboard; and a second top plate extending partially along said width of said top side of said computer, in a direction from said front plate to said back plate; wherein said first top plate and said second top plate are adapted to be selectively, removeably connected together so as to form an integrated top plate having a depth equal to said width of said top side of said computer.
 19. Apparatus of claim 18, wherein said first and second top plates are selectively, removeably connected together by at least one slot formed in one of said first or second top plates, and at least one stud extending from the other of said first or second top plates.
 20. Apparatus of claim 19, wherein said at least one stud is adjustably secured in said at least one slot.
 21. Apparatus of claim 20, wherein said at least one stud comprises at least one bolt and at least one nut.
 22. Apparatus of claim 19, further comprising a third plate having a top trough plate for restraining another, opposite edge of said keyboard.
 23. Apparatus of claim 22, wherein said third plate is selectively, adjustably secured to said second plate.
 24. Apparatus of claim 23, wherein said third plate is selectively, adjustably secured to said second plate by at least one slot extending along a portion of said front plate, and at least one stud extending from said third plate for receipt within said at least one slot.
 25. Apparatus of claim 23, wherein said third plate is selectively, adjustably secured to said second plate by at least one slot extending along a portion of said third plate, and at least one stud extending from said front plate for receipt within said at least one slot.
 26. An apparatus, comprising: a rack assembly for holding a keyboard of a computer against a side surface of said computer; and a structure for removeably securing said rack assembly on said computer.
 27. Apparatus of claim 26, wherein said rack assembly comprises a front plate extending partially along said side surface of said computer, said front plate having a first thickness at a first end thereof and a second, larger thickness at a second end thereof and a sloping surface between said first and second thickness for receipt thereagainst of said keyboard.
 28. Apparatus of claim 27, further comprising a selectively removable clamping plate to restrain an edge of said keyboard.
 29. For a computer having a first side, a second side and a top side between said first and second sides, an apparatus for holding a keyboard of said computer against said first side of said computer, comprising a rack assembly, comprising a top plate to secure said rack assembly to said top side of said computer, said top plate being slideably adjustable to snuggly fit over and around said top side of said computer.
 30. Apparatus of claim 29, said top plate comprising a first plate, a second plate and an intermediary sliding member around which said first and second plates slideably adjust to snuggly fit over and around said top side of said computer.
 31. Apparatus of claim 30, further comprising a selectively removable clamping plate to restrain an edge of said keyboard to said rack assembly, wherein said clamping plate is slideably adjustable along a member extending from said rack assembly. 